Keeping up a vegetarian diet can be very difficult, especially if you are a meat lover. It can add up financially and can be bland if you do not get creative. It can be harmful if you don't do it correctly but the outcome of a healthy vegetarian lifestyle can be very rewarding!
What is Vegetarianism?
Vegetarianism is the practice of obtaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry and sea food), and may also include abstaining form byproducts of animal slaughter.
A little bit of history...
- Roots of India and Ancient Greece
- Term brought over by the British Vegetarian Society in the mid 1800's
- Start of vegetarianism was recognized in 1971 when Francis Moore Lappes's book Diet For a Small Planet was published
- He then made a new book on the idea of "Protein Complimenting" to ensure that this diet was a healthy lifestyle
- It was popularized in the US with the use of soybeans and alternative meat options when the movement named "The Farm" was recognized in the 70's
- Strongly linked with a number of religions (Jainism, Hinduism and Buddhism)
Why do people go veg?
- Healthy body and heart
- Ease symptoms of menopause
- To have more energy and longevity
- Healthy benefits
- Save the animals
Pros:
- Better weight control
- Potential health benefits
- Preserve the earths natural resources and protect the animals
- Prevention of cardiovascular disease
Cons:
- Nutrient and Protein shortages
- Loss of Vitamins:
Iron
B-12
Omega 3's
Zinc
Vitamin D
- Cost of food is more expensive
Diane's Experience:
I am a total meat lover, so you can imagine how difficult it was to start this kind of diet! I live on a college campus with a dining hall that does not give you many options. So I turned to buying food for the 5 days that I went through with this diet. Buying foods that meet the criteria for a diet like this can be very expensive. Being a college student, it is hard to be able to afford it. So I was somewhat limited. I ate a lot of salads, pastas, rice and vegetables. I started to realize I felt a lot cleaner! I had more energy and I did not feel so run down all of the time. While on this diet I made sure to get the vitamins I lost in other ways so I could do it the right way! I say that it was definitely worth the try and I highly recommend it.
Sarah's Experience:
Also being a huge meat lover, it was very hard for me to try this non-meat diet. I decided to become a vegetarian for 5 days straight. This did not come easy to me, I started over 3 times because I either forgot I was on this diet or there were hardly any options to choose from that were appealing. For breakfast I mainly ate oatmeal with a side of fruit to add more taste. Lunch I ate salad everyday and made it tasteful by topping it with all my favorite veggies and other various salad toppings. For dinner I just went with the vegetarian option that was offered. I noticed a lot more snacking within these 5 days, mostly of fruit and crackers or other little munchies. Being a college student and having a meal plan with the dining hall made it a lot tougher to enjoy this embodiment. They only had one or two options for vegetarians with many many options for meat eaters. I hardly felt full so i drank a lot of water to solve this problem. In general, my body felt a lot healthier and cleaner. I had more energy throughout the day and could get out of bed easier in the morning which resulted in me feeling more awake. I was a lot happier in general because of the way I felt. I would for sure recommend trying this embodiment because of its healthful benefits.
By Sarah Chase & Diane Dyess
